This invention relates generally to bathroom accessories and more particularly concerns a splatter shield for a typical household toilet.
When men use a typical household toilet, inaccurate aim or, more often, splattering leaves the toilet area in an unpleasant and unsanitary condition. The problem is exacerbated during nocturnal visits because, whether for their own comfort or perhaps out of courtesy to others in adjoining sleeping areas, men frequently choose not to use the bathroom light. The position of the toilet is trusted to feel and sound rather than sight. In darkness, a man will generally determine by the touch of his legs whether the seat is up or down and the position of the bowl. The rest is left to sound. A shield properly positioned in the bowl could assist in the detection of accuracy and also reduce the possibility of splatter. Such a shield, however, could not be permanently located for obvious reasons. On the other hand, the need to position or reposition the shield in the dark would introduce new problems.
It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide a household toilet splatter shield which visually and audibly confirms the accuracy during use of the toilet by men. Another object of this invention is to provide a household toilet splatter shield which reduces splattering during use of the toilet by men. A further object of this invention is to provide a household toilet splatter shield which is automatically repositioned in the toilet bowl in response to the repositioning of the toilet seat. Yet another object of this invention is to provide a household toilet splatter shield which is automatically positioned in an approximately horizontal use position when the seat is in an up position. It is also an object of this invention to provide a household toilet splatter shield which is automatically positioned at an approximately vertical storage position at the rear of the bowl when the seat is in a down position. Still another object of this invention is to provide a household toilet splatter shield which is easily adaptable for use in variously shaped toilets. An additional object of this invention is to provide a household toilet splatter shield which is reversible for attachment to either side of the bowl. Another object of this invention is to provide a household toilet splatter shield which is self-cleaning during the normal toilet bowl flush operation.
In accordance with the invention, a shield is provided for a toilet on which a seat is hinged for rotation between a down position on the rim of the toilet bowl and an up position angularly displaced from the rim of the toilet bowl. A shaft is adapted at one end to be fixed to an inner wall of the bowl. The shaft extends horizontally into the bowl above the standing water level. A sleeve is mounted for rotation on the shaft. An arm extends from the sleeve inwardly and downwardly into the bowl to an end above the standing water level. A strike pad is mounted in an approximately horizontal position on the end of the arm. A lever extends upwardly from the sleeve. The lever is engagable against the underside of the seat for angular displacement of the sleeve in response to force exerted on the lever by the seat during rotation of the seat into the down position. The rotating sleeve moves the strike pad to an approximately vertical position at the rear of the bowl. The lever is disengagable from the underside of the seat during rotation of the seat to the up position. This permits angular displacement of the sleeve in response to gravitational force exerted on the strike pad. This allows the strike pad to return to an approximately horizontal position.